by Dave » 31 Jul 2021, 18:26
If you want to continue to be vague that's fine. From a personal stand point I'm not worried about the background of any football coach, whether a goalkeeper specialist, during my own 10 stint in youth development football went to a number of training grounds, including our own, as well as Exeter's, witnessed academy games at Bristol City , Bournemouth and Plymouth.
The reason why I'm not worried about the background of of football coach's is simple, I've worked along side both Level 1,2 and B licence coach's , some were only ever bang average park footballers, some never played the game didn't stop them from producing a number of lads into professional academies, I also know Phil Osborn personally.
For evidence look at Arsene Wenger never more than an average semi-pro, yet as a manager had a production line of unheard of players that developed into international players, compare him to John Barnes one of the most natural gifted and technical players ever to play the game, some would say way ahead of his time, yet couldn't coach/manage in football to save his life.
That's the thing, to be great coach, you need a good knowledge subject, a ability to demonstrate, and to be a good teacher that's why the greatest players don't always make the best coach's, and best coach's weren't always the best players.
So no you don't need to have been an ex professional keeper to make a good keeper coach. If you look at elite goalkeeping in England right now, it's never been stronger; Pickford, Pope, Henderson, Johnson and Ramsdale and has the England team ever had 5 keepers all capable of taking the number 1 shirt.
They all started their journey with people like me, before being passed on to academies keeper coaching , then onto elite professional keeper coaching with their clubs, I'd say the state of goalkeeper coaching in this country is looking pretty strong right now.
If you want to continue to be vague that's fine. From a personal stand point I'm not worried about the background of any football coach, whether a goalkeeper specialist, during my own 10 stint in youth development football went to a number of training grounds, including our own, as well as Exeter's, witnessed academy games at Bristol City , Bournemouth and Plymouth.
The reason why I'm not worried about the background of of football coach's is simple, I've worked along side both Level 1,2 and B licence coach's , some were only ever bang average park footballers, some never played the game didn't stop them from producing a number of lads into professional academies, I also know Phil Osborn personally.
For evidence look at Arsene Wenger never more than an average semi-pro, yet as a manager had a production line of unheard of players that developed into international players, compare him to John Barnes one of the most natural gifted and technical players ever to play the game, some would say way ahead of his time, yet couldn't coach/manage in football to save his life.
That's the thing, to be great coach, you need a good knowledge subject, a ability to demonstrate, and to be a good teacher that's why the greatest players don't always make the best coach's, and best coach's weren't always the best players.
So no you don't need to have been an ex professional keeper to make a good keeper coach. If you look at elite goalkeeping in England right now, it's never been stronger; Pickford, Pope, Henderson, Johnson and Ramsdale and has the England team ever had 5 keepers all capable of taking the number 1 shirt.
They all started their journey with people like me, before being passed on to academies keeper coaching , then onto elite professional keeper coaching with their clubs, I'd say the state of goalkeeper coaching in this country is looking pretty strong right now.
